Colorado Pastureland

Pasturelands are lands managed primarily for the production of introduced or native forage plants for livestock grazing. Management usually consists of cultural practices that help control weeds and encourages growth of vegetative cover.

Location

Colorado has approximately 1,270,000 acres of pastureland. This is roughly 2% of the total surface area of the state. Nationwide, pastureland is 6% of the total surface area. The majority of pasture in Colorado, or approximately 65%, is west of the Front Range in the mountain valleys and plateaus.

Forage Types

Grasses dominate the majority of pastureland making up 80% of the pastureland. The remaining acreage is comprised of legume pastureland and mixed pastureland.

Land Capability Classes

Forage plants can be efficiently produced and grazed under a broader set of growing conditions than annual crops. Most of Colorado's pastureland is on soils classified as having one or more limitations, (such as stoniness, erodibility, wetness, or steep slopes), for the production of annually cultivated crops.

Changes 1982 - 1997

Between 1982 and 1997 some counties gained pastureland and some counties had pastureland converted to other uses. Overall, the state of Colorado had approximately 11,000 acres converted from pastureland to other uses between 1982 and 1997

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